THE DOG LOVER’S GUIDE TO TRAVEL

Best Destinations, Hotels, Events, and Advice to Please Your Pet—and You

WASHINGTON (March 7, 2014)—For many of us, our dog is more than just a best friend, he’s family — and the family vacation wouldn’t be the same without him. This spring, Kelly E. Carter, creator of The Jet Set Pets.com, makes getaways with your pup easy with her new book from National Geographic, THE DOG LOVER’S GUIDE TO TRAVEL: Best Destinations, Hotels, Events, and Advice to Please Your Pet—and You (National Geographic Books; ISBN: 978-4262-1276-5; trade paperback; $22.95; April 1, 2014). For the last 10 years, Carter has traveled extensively with her longhaired Chihuahua, Lucy. A regular speaker at travel conferences, Carter is also the pet travel expert on AOL’s revamped pet site, Paw Nation. She keeps her finger on the pulse of what’s hot in the world of pet travel — and now she’s sharing all she knows about fabulous, dog-friendly destinations.

THE DOG LOVER’S GUIDE TO TRAVEL begins with basic advice for pet parents looking to take a vacation with Fido: How to determine if your dog is ready for a trip; how to select the right carrier and appropriate travel gear; what to know before booking a flight with your pup. Carter also shares her knowledge of what travelers and their pets can expect at hotels, airports, the beach, on the trail and more. The book is then divided by region, showcasing 75 pet-friendly cities across the United States and Canada, from Sanibel Island, Fla., to Whistler, British Columbia. In each city, Carter highlights the best pet offerings, from top hotels to perfect parks to trendy pet shops and doggie bakeries. Special features include walks to take with your dog, insider tips from local pet owners and sidebars detailing unique opportunities available only to people with a dog in tow.

Carter’s helpful and fun tips include:

• Always have the address and phone number of the nearest emergency vet handy. THE DOG LOVER’S GUIDE TO TRAVEL includes details for emergency care in many cities.
• Canned dog food is considered a liquid, so it’s subject to TSA’s 3-1-1 carry-on rule, which limits the volume allowed to 3.4 ounces.
• Just because a hotel’s website doesn’t state that it’s pet-friendly, it doesn’t mean it isn’t — call and ask, as many hotels will shower your pet with amenities and attention, yet they do not advertise this online.
• Headed to the beach? Be sure to bring fresh water, an umbrella, a towel and sunblock — which should be applied regularly to your pup’s ears and nose.

Carter also offers suggestions for where travelers can find a yappy hour, barks & crafts session, dog-friendly kayak tour, canine cruise, pet-friendly painting class or “doga” yoga session. And she has the inside scoop on where the pet-set crowd can find private pet chefs to whip up fabulous farm-to-bowl meals, a concierge to arrange birthday pawties and canine beauty days at a spa.

Whether you’re looking for a simple off-leash romp in a nearby park or trying to find a fancy wine-and-wag event, THE DOG LOVER’S GUIDE TO TRAVEL is the ultimate resource for making the most of travel with your best canine friend. Filling the need for a high-quality, well-researched travel guide for dog owners, the book provides guidance for those planning ahead for summer getaways and for spontaneous road trips alike.
This spring, Carter will make a number of public appearances to share THE DOG LOVER’S GUIDE TO TRAVEL with travelers and dog lovers. On Monday, April 7, at 6:30 p.m., Carter will discuss the book and sign copies at Books and Books in Coral Gables, Fla. On Wednesday, April 9, at 7:30 p.m., Carter and Dr. Gary Weitzman, co-host of WAMU’s “Animal House,” will have an on-stage discussion at National Geographic’s Washington, D.C., headquarters as part of the National Geographic Live event series. The discussion will be followed by a book signing and reception. For more information about National Geographic Live and to purchase tickets, visit nglive.com/dc. On Saturday, April 19, at 1 p.m., Carter will discuss the book and sign copies at Book Passage in Corte Madera, Calif. For up-to-date information about events and signings, visit http://kellyecarter.com/events/.

About Kelly E. Carter
Kelly E. Carter and her lovable longhair Chihuahua, Lucy, have been practically inseparable since first meeting at an airport in 2001. The two have traveled together throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe, stopping over in Italy for two years. Inspired by her pooch and her desire to help others travel with their furry friends, Carter founded The Jet Set Pets, where she gives the inside scoop for pets on the go. A popular speaker at travel conferences, Carter is also the pet travel expert on AOL's revamped pet site Paw Nation and a contributing editor at Elite Traveler magazine. Formerly a celebrity reporter at People magazine and USA Today, where she also covered sports, the Los Angeles native has written for numerous publications. She teamed up with tennis phenom Venus Williams to co-author the New York Times best-selling book “Come to Win: Business Leaders, Artists, Doctors, and Other Visionaries on How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession.” Carter and Lucy reside in San Francisco.

About National Geographic Books & Home Entertainment
National Geographic Books & Home Entertainment creates and distributes books, videos and other print and digital media that inform, engage and entertain diverse audiences about our world. Annually, the group publishes more than 125 new books for adults, families and kids and releases 250+ new DVDs and digital downloads of the Society’s films and TV shows, and these National Geographic titles are available in more than 35 local-language editions. While special photographic and film collections, travel books, nature shows, birding guides and atlases are a core focus of the Society’s products, books and videos on subjects as diverse as animals, the human mind, history, world cultures and the cosmos are also produced. For more information, visit facebook.com/NatGeoBooks and nationalgeographic.com/books.